Game Day: Suns (2-5) @ Blazers (4-3), Tues 11/8/16

[LazarusLong]

Williams can be a cheerleader until somebody gets hurt.

Tonight may be his chance — Chandler's out.

Every once in a while people talk about how Chandler is blocking Len's development. I don't buy it, but I do see it in articles and on here every once in a while. The theory is that Len is more confident and plays better when he know the minutes are his even if he makes a mistake. Well, let's see it.

Len rebounds OK, but he's pretty much a cipher on offense.

[Mori Chu]

I tried to watch this game but couldn't focus on it at all. Another loss. Go Suns.

[Shabazz]

Knight was better tonight, but still so frustrating to watch.

[Shabazz]

^least consequential post ever, all things considered.

[Superbone]

Blazers are about to put up a 40 point 1st Quarter.

Despite all of that, we hung in there and were there right at the end. Those 28 footers from Lillard were back breakers.

[Superbone]

Booker with a 3 to keep us in it, but it won't be enough. He misses a deep deep 3 at the buzzer.

How do you guys feel about 20 minutes for Chriss and 23 for Bender?

Suns won every quarter except the first. That first 7 minutes was killer.

Love it. They got time and we were in it to the end.

[Superbone]

I tried to watch this game but couldn't focus on it at all. Another loss. Go Suns.

Hmm. It was the highlight of my night.

[Shabazz]

Bender was +19 in a 3 point loss.

[UglyTruth]

This kid Bender is so good, why does Watson hate him and rarely give him playing time?

[djy2j]

Glad we didn't give up after the 1st quarter shuh-lacking. As much as I hate on PJ Tucker he didn't do too bad tonight. The non boxout at the end was rough but overall he didnt kill us like he usually does so credit where it's due.

Booker and Bender were great. Bledsoe was also after he took the first half off. Chriss played better than expected in a starting role.

That call on Booker for the "Chris Paul" offensive foul was a perfect example of how the refs are inconsistent and play favorites. Absolute horse shit. Absolute garbage. Absolute Brandon Knight.

[djy2j]

Also Len was 1-5 which also represents his good to bad game ratio. I can't figure him out. Shows flashes of brilliance but is mostly a disaster.

[O_Gardino]

In the first quarter, they kept running McCollum off of rub screens with Plumlee, and Len wasn't showing at all. They tried that with Bender in the game and he showed well and McCollum was stifled. Anyone else notice that? McCollum's huge first quarter wasn't all on Booker or the guards in general. What was disappointing was that Plumlee is not an offensive threat. More should have been done on defense in the early game.

Good observation on those screens. It was really frustrating watching the starters play on without making any adjustments.

[O_Gardino]

Absolute horse s***. Absolute garbage. Absolute Brandon Knight.

For some reason, I feel like getting drunk now.

[Nodack]

Now if we only get Ulis some playing time. I can think of one guy who's minutes I would be willing to cut to make room.

[In2ition]

Now if we only get Ulis some playing time. I can think of one guy who's minutes I would be willing to cut to make room.

I don't get it...who are you talking about?!?!

[UglyTruth]

Now if we only get Ulis some playing time. I can think of one guy who's minutes I would be willing to cut to make room.

I don't get it...who are you talking about?!?!

Booker of course.

[OE32]

In the first quarter, they kept running McCollum off of rub screens with Plumlee, and Len wasn't showing at all. They tried that with Bender in the game and he showed well and McCollum was stifled. Anyone else notice that? McCollum's huge first quarter wasn't all on Booker or the guards in general. What was disappointing was that Plumlee is not an offensive threat. More should have been done on defense in the early game.

Good observation on those screens. It was really frustrating watching the starters play on without making any adjustments.

Neither of our centers have been showing on screens. I thought it was coaching.

[sunshoopjunky]

Neither of our centers have been showing on screens. I thought it was coaching.

Yeah that is what worries me a bit.

Bender may doing well at this because he is used to doing it, not because it's what the coach wants him to do.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Dra ... der-62877/

I am sure most people have read this prior to the draft, but i went and reread it and a couple things stick out more now then I remember then.

(I was not a fan of Bender where we picked him until we then picked up Chriss who I was high on as well. I was high and still am on Brown.)

If you have time to read the entire thing I think its a good re read lol if not here are a couple tid bits.

" Bender's feel for the game is arguably his best attribute. He's a very high IQ prospect who plays within himself and makes the right decisions on the move. Although he wasn't able to show it a ton with Maccabi, he can grab a rebound, push and facilitate in transition. He plays with good patience and is a very mature decision maker. Before it's all said and done, Bender may very well be best described as a playmaking center. He approaches the game in an unselfish manner, making the extra pass more often than not, sometimes to a fault. He's not a naturally dominant scorer or boisterous personality. He plays the game the right way, understands defensive positioning and when to cut on offense, and is rarely going to give you many ‘wow' moments as a scorer. "

and

"Bender's defensive versatility at 7'1” is one the things that makes him intriguing as a prospect. He has the quickness to switch ball screens and either keep the ball contained or recover swiftly. He spent much of the season chasing around wings and guards, which is very unique for a player his size, especially at 18 years for a storied franchise like Maccabi Tel Aviv. He's a bit hunched guarding the perimeter, but his foot speed and agility are definitely strengths of his in today's switch-heavy NBA. "

[Ring_Wanted]

In the first quarter, they kept running McCollum off of rub screens with Plumlee, and Len wasn't showing at all. They tried that with Bender in the game and he showed well and McCollum was stifled. Anyone else notice that? McCollum's huge first quarter wasn't all on Booker or the guards in general. What was disappointing was that Plumlee is not an offensive threat. More should have been done on defense in the early game.

Good observation on those screens. It was really frustrating watching the starters play on without making any adjustments.

Neither of our centers have been showing on screens. I thought it was coaching.

What really worries me is that Len and Chandler often forget to put their arm up when someone has the ball in their vicinity. In the 1stQ CJ managed to get his shot off in Len's face an absurd number of times, and he has not been the only one to get away with it. This alone makes me think we are far from set at C defensively, despite supposedly having two specialists at it.